Sheet handling apparatus



* Filed Dec. 13, 1965 July 11, 1967 A. J. STAINES 3,330,554

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALFRED J. STAINES B Y ATTORNEYS y 1, 1967 A. J. STAINES 3,330,554

SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 13, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ALFRED J. STAINES ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,330,554 SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS Alfred J. Staines, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to Harris-Intertype Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 513,235 18 Claims. (Cl. 271-26) The present invention relates to a sheet handling apparatus and more particularly to sheet pick up and separating mechanism for separating and picking up the top sheet of a pile to be fed one at a time to a machine for performing an operation on the sheet. Such sheet handling mechanisms are commonly used to feed sheets from a pile to a printing press.

Sheet separating and pick up mechanisms used to separate the top sheet of a pile of sheets to be fed to a printing press commonly comprise spaced sheet grippers such as vacuum suckers which are adapted to engage the top sheet of a pile along the rear edge of a sheet to separate the sheet from a pile and transfer the sheet to forwarding grippers which forward the sheet outwardly of the forward edge of the pile. Such sheet separating grippers have been operated to cause the grippers to stretch the sheet being handled to remove wrinkles, etc., therefrom as the sheet is separated from the top of the pile. It is not always necessary or desirable to stretch the portion of the sheet between the suckers and in some mechanisms the separation and handling is elfected without a stretching action.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet handling apparatus wherein the top sheet of a pile of sheets can be selectively separated from the pile by spaced sheet grippers with or without stretching of the sheet between the grippers with the apparatus being quickly and easily adjustable to operate in either manner.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet handling mechanism wherein a sheet gripping device which is movable to handle the sheet and is operated after gripping the sheet to pull on the sheet to stretch the latter with respect to a cooperating sheet gripping device with the mechanism being adjustable so that the pull for stretching the sheet occurs in a direction such that no stretching will occur during the handling of the sheet.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet handling mechanism wherein a first pair of gripping devices or suckers which operate to grip a sheet and transfer it are each operable to swing in either of two directions to selectively handle the sheet with or without stretching.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet separating and forwarding apparatus in which a sheet gripper device adapted to grip a sheet can be swung about a horizontal axis to stretch and bend the sheet about a part associated with the structure and in which the sucker may be positioned so that the stretching movement occurs in a direction along a line to pull the sheet in a direction away from a cooperating gripper or in a direction generally perpendicular thereto.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet handling mechanism wherein a first pair of gripping devices or suckers which operate to grip a sheet and transfer it to a second pair of sheet gripping devices can be swung about an axis to handle.

the sheet with or without stretching the sheet portion between the devices as the sheet is handled, with the apparatus being so constructed and arranged that the sheet gripping devices will engage the sheet at the same locations when operating to stretch as when operating not to stretch the sheet.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sheet handling apparatus wherein spaced sheet gripping devices movable to engage and handle the sheet are operated to bend the sheet about abutment portions between the devices to stretch the sheet therebetween with the apparatus being arranged so that the abutment portions can be adjusted from a position between the devices to positions where the sheet can be handled without stretching even though the device is actuated by mechanism for causing the stretching about said abutment portions.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a sheet handling apparatus as in the preceding object wherein the abutment portions are swung about an axis through the gripping devices in a plane parallel to the sheet plane to position them to provide stretching'or no stretching of the sheet so that the sheet gripping devices engage the sheet at the same locations regardless of whether or not the sheet is to be stretched.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sheet separating apparatus wherein a pair of gripping devices are moved in one direction to engage and grip a sheet and in the opposite direction to move a sheet to second sheet gripping devices for continuing handling of the sheet, the first gripping devices being moved angularly in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the sheet as they handle the sheet and being adjustable so that angular movement may occur in a plane perpendicular to a line between the first sheet handling device or one generally parallel thereto to selectively introduce a stretching action on the sheet portion between the first gripping devices or a bending of the portion of the sheet engaged by the second sheet gripping devices from the plane of the sheet without stretching the sheet and the second devices being adjustable to adapt the second devices to grip the bent portion of the sheet or a portion lying in the plane of the sheet being handled.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description thereof made' with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of the present specification for all subject matter disclosed therein and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a sheet separating and forwarding mechanism embodying the present invention looking from the front and one corner of the mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 1 showing a sheet separating sucker in a different position from that shown'in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view looking from the rear of the mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the operating mechanism for one sheet separating and lifting sucker;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view looking from line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view looking from line 66 of FIG. 4; and e FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the operating cam for a forwarding sucker.

Referring to FIG. 1, the sheetseparating and forwarding apparatus includes spaced sheet gripping devices in the form of suckers 10, 11 are adapted to engage the top sheet of a pile 13 of sheets S adjacent the rear edge of the pile to separate the tail portion of the top sheet from the pile. The suckers 10, 11 transfer the separated sheet to forwarding suckers 16, 17 which are adapted'to take the sheet from the sheet separating suckers and forwardthe sheetoutwardly of the forward edge of the pile as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 showing the direction of sheet feed. The apparatus has conventional air nozzlesfor providing a separating and forwarding air blast as is conventional in this type of mechanism.

The mechanism for operating the suckers 10, 11 and 16, 17 may also be a conventional operating mechanism and may essentially comprise a cam and cam follower for each sucker which is adapted to lift the sucker at the appropriate time in the cycle of operation. The sucker operated by the mechanism is lowered by a spring which urges the cam follower into engagement with the cam, thereby enabling the lowering movement of the sucker to be stopped if the sucker engages the pile before the follower reaches the low part of the cam.

In addition to a lifting movement to lift the sheet to the forwarding suckers, the sheet separating suckers are swung about a generally horizontal axis when the sucker grips the sheet to be separated to stretch the sheet over sheet engaging abutments between the suckers. In the preferred and illustrated embodiment, the axis of swinging movement of the sucker may be swiveled about a generally vertical axis which is coaxial with the axis of the sucker mouth when the latter is in a horizontal plane, so that the plane in which the swinging movement takes place may be adjusted to stretch or not stretch the sheet portion between the suckers 10, 11.

Referring to the drawings, the sucker is raised and lowered by a cam 20 mounted on a sucker operating cam shaft 21 which extends across the top of the pile in the pile feeder. The cam 20 engages a cam follower 23 mounted intermediate the ends of a pivoted lever arm 24 which is raised and lowered to raise and lower the sucker 10. The lever arm 24 is pivoted at one end by a pivot pin 26 to a frame and the outer end thereof is connected to the sheet separating sucker 10 by means comprising a rigid conduit 28. The conduit 28 is a generally vertical conduit and is received in a block 29 swiveled to the outer end of the lever arm 24. The lever arm 24 is urged downwardly to move the cam follower 23 against the cam by a spring 30 tied between the outer end of the arm and a fixed point on the frame 25. Consequently, the cam follower 20 and the sucker 10 are positively lifted as the cam follower rides up to the high part of the cam and are lowered under the action of the spring 30 as the cam follower rides on the fall of the cam toward the low point under the influence of the spring 30.

The conduit 28 which connects the sucker 10 to the outer end of the pivoted arm 24 is received in an opening 33 in a sucker support block 34 to which the sucker 10 is connected. The sucker support block 34 extends generally transverse to the conduit 28 and has a depending portion 35 to which a sucker mounting plate 36 is hinged for swinging movement about a generally horizontal axis 36a. The plate has an opening 37 therein which receives the sucker 10.

In the illustrated and preferred embodiment, the sucker 10 comprises a metal body portion 40 which is received in the opening 37 and a flexible skirt 41 which extends outwardly from the body 40 to engage the sheet to be separated from the top of the pile. The metal body 40 is an annular body with a central opening therethrough, and is disposed in one end of a flexible pleated bellows 42. The end of the bellows which receives the body 40 is disposed between the body 40 and the side wall of the opening 37 in the hinge plate 36 with a press fit. The opposite end of the bellows encircles and receives an outer flange 43 on a collar 44 mounted into an opening in the support block 34 which communicates with the opening 33 for receiving the conduit 28. Consequently, the interior of conduit 28 is connected through the opening 33, the interior of the collar 44, the bellows 42 and the opening through the body member 40 to the interior of the sucker 10. The upper end of the conduit 28 communicates with a vacuum connection 46 mounted in the block 29 and to which a vacuum is applied to establish a suction in the sucker 10 to cause the sucker to seal against and grip a sheet.

When the sucker seals against and grips a sheet, the bellows will collapse to cause the sucker and the plate 36 to swing about the horizontal pivot axis 36a for the plate 36.

This causes the sucker to move upwardly away from the top of the pile in a tilting movement to pull the sheet against the underside of depending portion 35 which functions as a sheet engaging abutment. The abutment provided by depending portion 35 changes the direction of pull by the sucker to the plane of the sheet. The sheet engaging abutment and axis of swinging movement are adjustable about the axis of the sucker so that the collapsing of the bellows can selectively exert a pulling of the sheet about the abutment in a direction to stretch the sheet portion between the suckers 10, 11 or to bend the tail portion of the sheet upwardly along the rear edge of the pile with no stretching of the sheet.

To adjust the direction of sucker pull in the plane of the sheet, the support block 34 may be swung about the conduit 2 8 to change the direction of pull due to tilting movement of the sucker 10 and the position of the sheet abutment portion 35. In the preferred embodiment the axis of the conduit 28 coincides with the extended axis of the sucker 10 provided by the skirt 41 and the horizontal axis of swinging movement of the sucker 37 is swung about the axis of the sucker and the conduit 28 to change the direction of pull in the plane of the sheet effected by the tilting of the sucker in cooperating with the depending abutment portion 35. To provide for this adjustment of the sucker block 34, the upper portion of the block which receives the conduit 28 is made in the form of a clamp to grip the conduit. To this end, the block is formed with spaced ears 5t 51 joined by a portion 52 which defines the upper part of the opening 33 for receiving the conduit. The space between the ears 50, 51 opens into the opening defined by the portion 52 for receiving the conduit and a clamp screw 54 passes through the ear 50 and threads into the ear 51 to tighten or loosen the portion 52 about the conduit 28. By loosening the screw 54 the support block 34 may be swivel on the conduit 28 to adjust the angular position of the support block 36 about the conduit. When the desired angular position is obtained, the screw may be tightened to lock the support block in place.

In operation, the sucker block 34 is normally positioned with the hinge axis 36a parallel to the rear axis of the pile and forwardly of the sucker or in a position where it is perpendicular to the rear edge of the pile and disposed inwardly of the pile with respect to the sucker. When in this latter position, the angular movement of the sucker about the hinge axis 36a as the bellows 42 will cause the sheet to be bent around the underside of the depending portion 35, the underside of portion 35 and the sucker mount being at approximately the same level when the bellows is extended. In operation, the cam 20 will lower the sucker into engagement with the top sheet and when the vacuum is applied, the sucker will seal against the sheet and the bellows 42 will collapse causing the sucker to swing about the swing axis 36a to move the sucker angularly and upwardly and to cause the sheet gripped thereby to bend and be stretched against the underside of the depending portion 35.

Preferably, the sucker support block 34 is provided with an adjustable stop member 59 that extends downwardly through an opening 60 in the hinged plate 36. The stop member has an outer flange of which is engaged by the underside of the plate 36 to limit the downward movement of the hinged plate relative to the support block to establish the normal position of the sucker 10 prior to sheet engagement. The stop member also includes a threaded portion which threadably engages the sucker support block so that the stop member may be adjusted to determine the extent of the downward movement of the plate 36. Thus, the sucker may be adjusted to a position where its sucker mouth is in a horizontal plane or to a position slightly above the plane or below the plane. In these latter positions, the sucker mouth will be tilted slightly with respect to the horizontal. This adjustment enables the sucker mouth to be best positioned to engage the top sheets which may be bent out of a horizontal plane.

The cooperating sucker 11 is supported and operated in the same manner as the sucker and during operation, the suckers 10 and 11 are adjusted to a position such that the pivot axis 36a thereof will be parallel to the rear edge of the pile or to a position where the hinge axis 36a of the suckers is perpendicular to the rear edge of the pile. In the latter positions, the depending portions are disposed inwardly of and between the suckers 10, 11 and the angular movement of the suckers about the hinge axis as the bellows 42 collapses when the suckers engage the sheet causes the suckers to stretch the portion of the sheet between the suckers as the upward movement of the suckers about their axes bends and stretches the sheet around the depending portions 35. The amount of stretching is controlled by the flexible bellows which Will collapse until the force of the sheet resisting the bending is equal to the collapsing force applied by the vacuum. Thus the sheet is stretched by the suckers 10, 11 to the suckers 12, 13 along a line between the suckers. This line is parallel to the rear edge of the pile and is also the line of engagement of the forwarding suckers 12, 13.

When the suckers are adjusted to operate with the hinge axis of each sucker parallel to the rear edge of the sheet, the hinge axis 36a is disposed forwardly of the suckers and the bending of the sheet by the collapsing of the bellows tilts the rear portion of the sheet upwardly from the horizontal plane as the sheet is transferred toward the forwarding suckers but no stretching action in the plane of the sheet will occur since the forward edge of the sheet is not held against movement rearwardly of the pile.

The forwarding suckers are preferably tilted so that they may readily grip the tail portion of the sheet when it is tilted upwardly from the horizontal plane. As shown in FIG. 7, the suckers are mounted on the ends of a respective arm 65 which is connected to a stub shaft 66 extending outwardly from an arm 67 which is raised and lowered by a cam on the cam shaft 21 to operate the forwarding suckers. The forwarding suckers are connected to the shaft portion by a clamp type block 70 which allows the suckers to be adjusted angularly about the stub shaft. This adjustment allows the suckers to be tilted relative to the horizontal for better gripping of a tilted portion of the sheet and to -be adjusted toward the horizontal to better allow a sucker to grip against a horizontal sheet portion between the suckers 10, 11 as will be the case when the suckers are adjusted to stretch the portion of the sheet between the sheet separating suckers.

From the foregoing it can be seen that the present invention provides a sheet handling mechanism wherein spaced gripping devices, preferably suckers, may be adjusted to grip and handle a sheet with or without stretching the portion of the sheet between the devices. Moreover, the structure of the preferred and illustrated embodiment is such that the sucker always engages the sheet being handled at the same position regardless of whether it is adjusted to stretch the sheet or to handle the sheet without stretching. This is accomplished by swinging the hinge axis of the sucker about the vertical axis of the sucker mouth when the latter is disposed in a horizontal plane. Such an arrangement is desirable since it is advantageous to grip the sheet to be handled as near the rear edge of the sheet as possible and to maintain the sheet separating suckers 10 and 11 and the sheet forwarding suckers 12 and 13 positioned so that they essentially act along the line extending between the sheet separating suckers.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, it will be understood that it will cover all constructions, modifications and arrangement of parts which fall within the ability of those 6 skilled in the art and within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a sheet handling apparatus, sheet handling mechanism including spaced first and second sheet gripping devices, means for moving said devices to engage and handle a sheet including second means for operating said devices to exert a pull in the plane of the sheet in opposite directions to stretch the portion of the sheet between the devices, and means for adjusting said mechanism to change the direction of pull in the plane of the sheet by said devices on operation of said second means to operate in the same direction which is generally perpendicular to a line between said devices.

2. In a sheet handling apparatus, sheet gripping and handling mechanism comprising a sheet gripping device, support means for said device, means for moving said support means to grip a sheet with said device and to handle the sheet, actuating means for moving said device relative to said support means to pull the gripped sheet, and means for adjusting said mechanism to selectively effect a pull on said sheet with said actuating means toward either of two intersecting sides of said sheet to handle said sheet with or without stretching selectively.

3. In a sheet handling apparatus, sheet handling mechanism including spaced first and second sheet grippers, means for moving said grippers to engage and grip a sheet and to handle the gripped sheet, second means for operating said grippers about an axis after gripping a sheet to pull said sheet in opposite directions to stretch the sheet portion between said grippers, and means for adjusting the position of said axis to cause said second means to operate said grippers to pull on said sheet in the same direction which extends transversely of a line joining said grippers.

4. In a sheet handling apparatus, a sheet gripping device, a support member, means mounting said device on said support member for angular movement about an axis generally parallel to the plane of the sheet to pull a portion of the sheet in a direction away from a cooperating gripper and toward one side of the sheet being han dled, means for moving said support member to grip a sheet with said device and to handle the gripped sheet, second means for moving said device about said axis when said sheet is gripped, and means for adjusting said axis to cause said device to efiectively pull on said sheet in said direction or in a direction toward a side of said sheet intersecting the first said side to selectively stretch or not stretch a sheet during the handling thereof.

5. In a sheet handling apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said second means is a vacuum operated and said means for adjusting said axis effects adjustment of said device about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the sheet being handled.

6. In a sheet handling apparatus, a first sheet gripping sucker having a sucker mouth and adapted to handle a sheet in cooperation with a second sucker, a support member, means mounting said first sucker on said support member for relative movement with respect thereto to exert a pull on said sheet for stretching the portion of said sheet between said suckers, actuating means on said support member for moving said first sucker to pull on the sheet portion between said suckers in a direction away from the other sucker as said sucker handles a sheet, means for adjusting the direction of pull of said first sucker when operated by said actuating means to a direction generally perpendicular to the line between said suckers, and means for moving said support member to engage and handle a sheet with said first sucker.

7. In a sheet handling apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said actuating means comprises a vacuum actuator through which vacuum is applied to said first sucker to grip a sheet therewith.

8. In a sheet handling apparatus, a first sheet gripping sucker having a sucker mouth and adapted to handle a sheet in cooperation with a second sucker, a support member, means mounting said first sucker on said support member for relative movement with respect thereto to exert a pull on said sheet, actuating means on said support member for moving said first sucker to pull on the sheet portion between said suckers in a direction away from the other sucker, means for adjusting said support member about an axis substantially the same as the axis of said sucker mouth when the latter is in a plane parallel to the sheet to be handled to adjust the direction of pull on said sheet when said actuating means is operated from a direction away from said second sucker to a direction generally perpendicular to a line between said suckers.

9. In a sheet handling apparatus, first and second spaced gripping mechanisms comprising first and second sheet gripping devices respectively movable to engage and handle a sheet, said first sheet gripping mechanism comprising a portion adapted to engage the sheet, a support member, means mounting said first sheet gripping device on the support member for movement from a sheet engaging position to bend and pull the sheet about the portion, and means for relatively positioning the first sheet gripping device and said portion in a first relative position along a line between said mechanisms with said portion disposed between said device and said second mechanism and a second relative position where the line between the said portion and device is generally perpendicular to the line between said mechanisms.

16. In a sheet handling mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said support member is mounted for adjustment about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of the sheet to be handled and through the center of said sheet gripping device to adjust said gripper and portion between said first and second relative positions.

11. In a sheet handling mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said device is a sucker and said first sheet gripping mechanism includes a vacuum actuator connected between the support member and the sucker for moving the sucker relative to the support member.

12. In a sheet handling mechanism, a sheet gripping mechanism comprising a sucker having a sucker mouth being in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the sheet to be handled and movable to engage and grip the sheet, a support member having a depending portion displaced to one side of said sucker and adapted to engage the sheet being handled, means mounting said sucker on said support member for upward movement relative thereto to pull the sheet across said portion, actuating means for moving said sucker relative to said support member, means for moving said sucker to engage and handle a sheet comprising movable operating means and means mounting said support member on said operating means for angular movement about an axis through the center of said sucker mouth and generally perpendicular to the plane of the sheet to be handled including means for selectively holding said support member against angular movement whereby the support member may be adjusted about said axis.

13. A sheet handling mechanism as defined in claim 12 wherein said movable operating means comprises a 8 vacuum supply conduit and a vacuum actuator for moving said sucker relative to said support member connects said conduit to said sucker.

14. In a sheet handling mechanism, a sheet gripping mechanism comprising a sucker having a sucker mouth being in a plane generally parallel to the plane of the sheet to be handled and movable to engage and grip the sheet, a support member having a depending portion displaced to one side of said sucker and adapted to engage the sheet being handled, means mounting said sucker on said support member for upward swinging movement relative thereto about an axis generally horizontal to the plane of the sheet to pull the sheet across said portion, actuating means for moving said sucker relative to said support member, means for moving said sucker to engage and handle a sheet comprising movable operating means and means mounting said support member on said operating means for angular movement about an axis through the center of said sucker mouth and generally vertical to the plane of the sheet to be handled including means for selectively holding said support member against angular movement whereby the support member may be adjusted about said axis.

15. In a sheet separating mechanism for separating the top sheet from the top of a pile and transferring it to forwarding suckers, spaced sheet gripping devices, spaced sheet engaging elements disposed in positions between said devices adjacent respective ones of said devices and adapted to engage a sheet gripped by said devices, actuating means for moving said devices and elements to engage and handle a sheet and for moving said devices relative to said elements to stretch the sheet portion between said devices, and means for selectively moving said elements out of said positions to handle a sheet without stretching.

16. In a sheet handling mechanism as defined in claim 15 wherein said elements are mounted for adjustment about an axis generally perpendicular to the plane of a sheet to be handled and through the adjacent device.

17. In a sheet handling mechanism as defined in claim 16 wherein a pair of sheet handling grippers are adapted to engage a sheet being handled by said devices along a line between said devices and elements to take the sheet from said devices.

18. In a sheet handling apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein the portion of said sheet engaged by said grippers lies in angularly related planes depending on whether or not said devices are stretching the sheet and the plane of said grippers is angularly adjustable to accommodate the grippers to take the sheet from said devices.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,389,480 11/1945 Baker 27126 2,950,913 8/1960 Staines 271-26 M. HENSON WOOD, JR., Primary Examiner.

R. A. SCHACHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A SHEET HANDLING APPARATUS, SHEET HANDLING MECHANISM INCLUDING SPACED FIRST AND SECOND SHEET GRIPPING DEVICES, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DEVICES TO ENGAGE AND HANDLE A SHEET INCLUDING SECOND MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID DEVICES TO EXERT A PULL IN THE PLANE OF THE SHEET IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS TO STRETCH THE PORTION OF THE SHEET BETWEEN THE 